Alum Returns with Yale Improv Group

Alum Harry Lowitz ’24 returned to Parker as a member of the famed Yale University improv group, The Purple Crayon. The group brought joy, comedy and quick-thinking to Morning Ex.

The Purple Crayon is a long-standing improv group that performs on Yale’s campus and also tours twice a year. The group specializes in performing “Harold,” which brings together three separate storylines into one narrative. Members began by explaining what they were about to do—invent storylines based on a topic the audience would provide—then went straight into this unique form of storytelling.

They asked for a suggestion of a location, and an audience member said, “A graveyard!” The group then began weaving together a story that included a ghost who wasn’t scary, another ghost bringing home their human partner for Thanksgiving and a specter who served as a therapist for a human. 

Next, they brought Upper School Science teacher Gigi Mathews to the stage and asked her a few questions. They used her answers to improvise new scenes involving a polar plunge into Lake Michigan, hot chocolate shops vying for attention and emotional responses to chemical reactions. 

Parker loves when alumni come back to share their talents and passions with the community and inspire current students with possibilities for their next chapter after Parker. The school thanks Lowitz and all the talented members of The Purple Crayon for bringing laughter and fun with this performance!

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